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Effective XBall Squad Rotation

Robbo

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Jul 5, 2001
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Maybe it's purely semantics but I tend to think of momentum as a wave of confidence bordering on certainty within the team they can do no wrong and consequently play that way and it is a self-fulfilling state of mind as is the emotional flip-side of being on the reverse end of the momentum scale.
Whereas rhythm (I can never spell that one properly, thanks ;)) means to me both a pace of play and a compatibility among the line's players. For example, one of the breakdown's Image had in Tampa--in my estimation--is that the current squad isn't fully equipped to play to Chris's style or rhythm. He acts and expects the rest of the team to be on his page or able to read along with him and act in concert with what he does. They aren't there yet and it tells in their results despite the fact the have some great players.

Would love to see the result of your time with Sergey and would be nice to have you over for Cup.

I'm not so sure my difference of opinion is a matter of semantics but hey, I ain't gonna worry too much about that one slipping through.
Your post does raise another interesting point though and that is one of over-intellectualizing a game of paintball.
I am in no way suggesting you are doing as much but reading your analysis of Image in Tampa and in your opinion, their apparent inability to emulate Chris's rhythm, it did strike me as somewhat ... hmmmm, I'm struggling for the correct word here.....as somewhat 'vague' I suppose is the best I can do but it needs clarification.
To suggest they are 'out of synch' with Chris 'sounds' plausible but can NEVER be proved and in my head that smacks of being vague, it lacks form and substance but I do appreciate it does 'sound' good.

I suppose we can easily default to clichés sometimes when we search for the real reasons for under-performance and this is an area that intrigues me because it may well be we can never truly tie down a comprehensive analysis of a performance and all we can do is to a best approximation.

It is however, not a hopeless cause because even though it is an approximation, we can take clues from people like Sergey who consistently makes quality approximations and therefore must be touching on some legitimate fundamentals as he does his analysis and comes up with an answer, the like of which I mentioned earlier.

We need to steal one of Philosophy's 15th century principle and implement paintball's own Occam's Razor .... if we approach paintball in this way (and I believe Sergey does just this) we can move forward in the real understanding of paintball and for me, that quest has always been my Holy Grail and I know you wouldn't mind coming along for the ride too :)
 

NitroBall

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Very interesting read of Baca and Robbo's posts, especially for the normal everyday player like myself , although i had to read it a dozen times before i fully understood everything.

With Baca's word of "Momentum" , are you reffering to something along the lines of being 1 step ahead ?
ie.
The team (team A) who has the leading edge in the last couple of points. By the time the other team (team B) has worked out whats going wrong, team A has changed tactics in order for the changed plan of team B. If that makes sense.

After playing X-Ball at the PA, it has personally made me think harder and faster of the vast amount of variables involved. Even though my experience in paintball is very raw compared to other players at the PA , i can see improvement on the learning curve from just playing xball.
 

Baca Loco

Ex-Fun Police
I am in no way suggesting you are doing as much but reading your analysis of Image in Tampa and in your opinion, their apparent inability to emulate Chris's rhythm, it did strike me as somewhat ... hmmmm, I'm struggling for the correct word here.....as somewhat 'vague' I suppose is the best I can do but it needs clarification.
To suggest they are 'out of synch' with Chris 'sounds' plausible but can NEVER be proved and in my head that smacks of being vague, it lacks form and substance but I do appreciate it does 'sound' good.

I suppose we can easily default to clichés sometimes when we search for the real reasons for under-performance and this is an area that intrigues me because it may well be we can never truly tie down a comprehensive analysis of a performance and all we can do is to a best approximation.

It is however, not a hopeless cause because even though it is an approximation, we can take clues from people like Sergey who consistently makes quality approximations and therefore must be touching on some legitimate fundamentals as he does his analysis and comes up with an answer, the like of which I mentioned earlier.
I'll see if I can flesh it out a bit then. In the case of Image you've got a group of world class players who have won world titles yet they struggle to put it all together as this team. The question is why. Rhythm is, after a fashion, shorthand for a host of factors, that boil down to incompatibility on the field. And in particular playing with a guy like Chris who is almost routinely capable of game breaking moves it is incumbent on the rest to take advantage when those things happen. So far for Image it isn't happening. They all need to be on the same page and they aren't. So how do you get them there or decide that it just won't work with this particular squad? The idea of rhythm helps me when thinking about where and how to make adjustments and what will or won't likely work.
In basketball one team routinely scores in the 80s and another in the 100s. Both are winning teams. The first team plays a methodical half court offense and most of the time matches it to a switching zone defense. The second team plays a fast break transition game and matches it to man on man and trapping zone defenses. Both teams are playing basketball by the same rules so why are the different? Coaching philosophy. Talent, etc. In both cases each team has a rhythm that is comfortable and effective for that team. The first team wouldn't, as a rule, use the same defense as the second team because it tends to speed up the play of the game by creating transition situations and they want to play slower. Same ideas apply with soccer I'm sure.
My point is all sports have all sorts of rhythms and paintball is no different.
Is that over-thinking the game? Perhaps. I'm certainly not advocating anybody else do things the way I do them nor am I suggesting any of the more esoteric elements are things one discusses with the players, just that I find it a useful framework for analysis.
 

Baca Loco

Ex-Fun Police
With Baca's word of "Momentum" , are you reffering to something along the lines of being 1 step ahead ?
ie.
The team (team A) who has the leading edge in the last couple of points. By the time the other team (team B) has worked out whats going wrong, team A has changed tactics in order for the changed plan of team B. If that makes sense.
As I'm using it momentum is more of a shared state of mind among the team at a given point in time, a feeling of certainty and heightened confidence.
It is usually the result of the kind of practical situation you describe tho, winning a few points or even coming back from long odds to pull out a particular point. It's an emotionally positive impact that is carried over.
 

stongle

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Occam's Razor...... hmmmm, I think you mean Sergei's a pragmatist and a business man (we know another thread about that Business / Paintball, Paintball / Business but I digress).

I must admit to being a bit out of touch with Paintball games and whoose beating who, but Paintball is neither about taking real estate or taking bodies; but projection of power.

Projection of power is simple goal and overiding of any variables thrown in; but can be achieved in a multiple of ways. In it's simplest sense it is the application of monumental (or threat of) force against a weaker target, to break or bend it too your will. Crush the weakest link and you should be assured of victory.